Ethical Analysis Report: Hacker-for-Hire Website, Business Ethics

This report presents an ethical analysis of a hacker-for-hire website, examining its actions through the lenses of Utilitarianism, Deontology, Virtue Theory, and Contract Theory. The website, based in Australia and Sweden, provided hacking services and subsequently released client information, leading to a breach of privacy. The analysis, grounded in the principles of each ethical theory, reveals the unethical nature of the website's operations and the actions of its clients. The report highlights how the website's actions caused more harm than benefit, violated established rules and principles, and demonstrated negative virtues. It concludes by emphasizing the need for legal adherence and ethical conduct in the context of hacking activities and data privacy. The report underscores the importance of ethical considerations in business practices, especially concerning data security and privacy.

Ethical Analysis
Report
9/10/2017

Ethical Analysis
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Analysis as per Utilitarianism Theory.........................................................................................................3
Analysis as per Deontology Theory.............................................................................................................4
Analysis as per Virtue Theory.....................................................................................................................4
Analysis as per Contract Theory..................................................................................................................5
Recommendations and Conclusion..............................................................................................................5
References...................................................................................................................................................7
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Ethical Analysis
Introduction
Hacker-for hire is a website that gave out the names of their clients who had requested the
execution of the hacking services. The website is based out of Australia and Sweden and
provides its clients with the hacking processes and services. In order to carry out the hacking
services, the site asked its clients, that is, the buyers for their demographics and contact details.
The buyers trusted the site to keep their information private; however, the privacy of the
information was violated by releasing the details of 60 buyers in public (Tung, 2015).
The report analyzes the situation on the basis of a number of different ethical principles and
theories.
Analysis as per Utilitarianism Theory
Utilitarianism theory of ethics states that an action is ethically justified only when the utility of
the action is positive and accurate. The ethical justification is decided on the utility as a prime
measure. The utility of an action is the pleasure that the doer and the associated parties receive in
the form of pleasure and with the absence of any form of negativity or evil attached with it.
The website in this case study deals in the line of business that is not legal and is not approved by
the Government. The buyers, that is, the customers that contract the website for the execution of
hack jobs receive the pleasure and satisfaction in return. They may also feel disturbed with the
results of the hacking services. Also, the system/application/device owners may suffer from the
leaking of their private details and information (Bentham, 2005).
The website then revealed the buyer details in public without their knowledge or consent. This
led to a lot of social and personal embarrassment for the victims. Also, their personal lives were
disturbed.
The utility of the actions that were executed by the website caused more damage and sufferings
as compared to the pleasure and enjoyment. As per this theory of ethics, the actions executed by
the website are termed as completely unethical (Gamlund, 2012).
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Ethical Analysis
Analysis as per Deontology Theory
Deontology theory is a theory of ethics that evaluates the correctness and ethical justification of
actions on the basis of the level of adherence to the rules and principles that define the actions.
Australian Government has defined a number of laws and regulations to make sure that the
hacking and cracking activities are executed as per the norms and guidelines. The entities that
carry out such activities with legal consent and agreements may have to face the legal obligations
and punishments. The same goes with the hacker-for-hire website as the services offered are not
approved or legalized by the Government. Protection of information privacy and maintenance of
Intellectual Property is one of the significant regulations that must be followed. The information
privacy along with the other properties of information must also be maintained at all times
(O’Neill, 2010).
The web site that has been mentioned in the case study is carrying out the activities that are not
legal. The request by the buyers for the hack jobs is also not justified as per the ethical principles.
Revelation of the buyer details without their knowledge and consent is also not legal and
justified as per the legal grounds and principles. The web site can, therefore, be charged with two
sets of illegal and unethical activities (Equip, 2017).
The actions that are executed by the web site are not as per the norms and guidelines that are
defined under the Australian laws. The actions that are specified in the case study are unethical
as per the ethical grounds and principles.
Analysis as per Virtue Theory
Virtue theory is an ethical theory that evaluates and justifies the ethical correctness of the actions
on the basis of the virtues that are associated with the actions. If the associated virtues are
positive, then the act is termed as ethically correct and vice versa.
The buyers had contacted the web site for the execution of the hack codes in order to extract the
information and details of their colleagues, friends and family. The primary virtues that were
involved in the actions included jealousy, harm to others and selfish interests (Hursthouse, 2000).
Also, the website had released the buyer details in the public. The action was executed so that the
website could gain publicity in the market and the number of customers increased by getting to
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Ethical Analysis
know of the services offered by the web site. There were selfish virtues associated with the
decision to release the buyer details in public (Bowden, 2005).
In the actions that have been executed by the buyer and the website, the virtues found in both the
cases are negative. This is the reason that the act is evaluated as ethically incorrect (Grcic, 2013).
Analysis as per Contract Theory
As per the ethical theory of Contract, it has been stated that the activities that are carried out
must be in agreement with the social principles, rules and guidelines. The level of adherence
determines the ethical justification of an act.
Social peace and harmony is required to be maintained in every region and society. There shall
be no harm done to the social elements and the activities that are carried out by the people must
adhere to these social guidelines.
The buyers were engaged in the illegal activities of requesting for the hack jobs that were not
legalized by the government. Also, as per the social guidelines, these activities could not be
approved. For instance, if an office employee would have contacted the web site to hack the
system of another colleague to cause professional damage then there would have been serious
damage as a result. Such occurrences may lead to the disturbance and negative impact on the
social harmony as well (Browne, 2012).
The illegal hacking services that were being provided by the website to the customers were not in
accordance with the social principles. On top of it, the website also revealed the information of
the buyers in public. It led to the social humiliation for the buyers as it led to the disturbance of
their social peace (Wempe, 2004).
The activities that were carried out by the buyers as well as the website were not in adherence
with the social principles and norms. The actions can therefore be termed as unethical as per this
theory.
Recommendations and Conclusion
Hacking is an activity that can only be termed as legal if it adheres to the legal norms and
regulations. Also, it shall include the adherence and agreement by the parties that are involved.
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Ethical Analysis
There are professional hackers that are appointed by the organizations to give shape to such
activities. In case of hacker-for-hire, the activities were not legal. Also, the website executed
another illegal and unethical activity by releasing the buyer details in public. The actions of the
buyers and the website were analyzed on the basis of the grounds and principles of numerous
ethical theories. It was found out that the actions done by both the parties were unethical.
The website should have gained permission and approval from the government to carry out and
provide such services to the customers. Also, the buyers should not have contacted the site to spy
on their personal and professional contacts. The activity of releasing the buyer information is
also not acceptable on the basis of ethical grounds.
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Ethical Analysis
References
Bentham, J. (2005). Business Ethics: Utilitarianism. Retrieved 10 September2017, from
http://ww2.it.nuigalway.ie/staff/h_melvin/prof_skill/L2_handout.pdf
Bowden, P. (2005). Virtue ethics, Aristotle and organisational behaviour. Retrieved 10
September2017, from
http://w3.unisa.edu.au/hawkeinstitute/gig/aapae05/documents/bowden-virtue.pdf
Browne, K. (2012). Introduction to the social contract theory. Retrieved 10 September2017,
from
http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/classes/econ362/hallam/Readings/SocialContractHelium.pdf
Equip. (2017). Ethics Theories: Utilitarianism Vs. Deontological Ethics - Christian Research
Institute. Christian Research Institute. Retrieved 10 September2017, from
http://www.equip.org/article/ethics-theories-utilitarianism-vs-deontological-ethics/
Gamlund, E. (2012). Ethics. Retrieved 10 September2017, from
https://www.uio.no/studier/emner/matnat/ifi/MNSES9100/v14/lectures/mnses-ethical-
theory-gamlund.pdf
Grcic, J. (2013). Virtue Theory, Relativism and Survival. Retrieved 10 September2017, from
http://www.ijssh.org/papers/273-C10018.pdf
Hursthouse, R. (2000). Virtue Ethics and Human Nature. Retrieved 10 September2017, from
http://www.humesociety.org/hs/issues/v25n1-2/hursthouse/hursthouse-v25n1-2.pdf
O’Neill, O. (2010). Kantean Ethics. Retrieved 10 September2017, from
http://gbelic.org/courses/intro/lectures/lecture-7-deontology.pdf
Tung, L. (2015). Rent-a-hacker site leaks Australian buyers' names and addresses. The Sydney
Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 September2017, from
http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/security-it/rentahacker-site-leaks-australian-buyers-names-
and-addresses-20150529-ghca3f.html
Wempe, B. (2004). On the use of the social contract model in business ethics. Retrieved 10
September2017, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-
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Ethical Analysis
8608.2004.00374.x/abstract
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